EXPERTISE

Through our strategic partnerships and expert skills, we help you to optimise your digital transformation. We have a global footprint with a direct presence in 49 countries and, through our partners, we can deliver our services in a further 103 countries.

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SOLUTIONS

Here at NEC New Zealand, we not only have a wide range of areas of expertise, but we’re also able to deliver customised solutions for your business. As a world leader in biometrics, we have a range of solutions that incorporate our world-leading biometrics technologies.

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INDUSTRIES

As an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) leader with almost 120 years of expertise, NEC has leveraged its adaptive solutions to enable individuals, businesses and government agencies to achieve more flexible, secure and responsive work environments.

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NEC will provide a Facial Recognition system for the 2020 Olympic Games. Read case study

PARTNERS

Whether it’s a global partnership with Juniper Networks or a local partnership with communications specialist Tait Communications, NEC has developed strategic partnerships with leaders in the field in order to deliver high-quality, turnkey solutions tailored to your business.

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INNOVATION

AT NEC, we invest heavily in R&D in order to remain at the leading edge of technological advances across our range of areas of expertise. We have also developed a technology vision which guides our research and development to create new value.

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ABOUT NEC

NEC has a dedicated team right here in New Zealand combined with our global expertise and R&D which contribute to delivering expertise across a wide range of areas. Our aim is to maximise your ROI from technology investments.

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NEC Iris Recognition Technology Ranks First in NIST Accuracy Testing. Find out more

Advantages and Disadvantages of Fingerprint Recognition

These days Fingerprint Recognition is a daily part of our lives; mobile phones, tablets and even laptops now feature fingerprint recognition functionality as standard. At work, more and more organisations are also using this type of biometric scanner to track attendance and manage their workforce alongside the security benefits it offers, replacing passwords, ID cards and door entry codes. Fast, non-invasive and simple to use, it’s easy to see why it has become the most developed and widely available biometric security solution on the market. If you’re still unsure whether it’s worth the investment for your company, here are some pros and cons that might be useful to consider as you weigh up the available options.

How Fingerprint Recognition works

The software works by extracting meaningful features known as minutia points from the fingerprint. The scanner picks out attributes such as orientation, change of ridge direction, arches, loops and whorls in the print. Some scanners can even pick up pores on the skin. The software then records and stores these minutia points in order to verify the user’s identity in the future.

Five advantages of Fingerprint Recognition

Security – security-wise, it is a vast improvement on passwords and identity cards. Fingerprints are much harder to fake, they also change very little over a lifetime, so the data remains current for much longer than photos and passwords.

Ease of use – for the user they are simple and easy to use. No more struggling to remember your last password or being locked out due to leaving your photo ID at home. Your fingerprints are always with you.

Non-transferable – fingerprints are non-transferrable, ruling out the sharing of passwords or ‘clocking in’ on behalf of another colleague. This allows for more accurate tracking of workforce and provides additional security against the theft of sensitive materials.

Accountability – using fingerprint recognition also provides a higher level of accountability at work. Biometric proof you have been present when a situation or incident has occurred is hard to refute and can be used as evidence if required.

Cost effective – from a technology management perspective, fingerprint recognition is now a cost-effective security solution. Small hand-held scanners are easy to set up and benefit from a high level of accuracy.

Three disadvantages of Fingerprint Recognition

System failures – scanners are subject to the same technical failures and limitations as all other electronic identification systems such as power outages, errors and environmental factors.

Cost – it is true that fingerprint recognition systems are more cost effective than ever, but for smaller organisations the cost of implementation and maintenance can still be a barrier to implementation. This disadvantage is lessening as devices become more cost effective and affordable.

Exclusions – while fingerprints remain relatively stable over a person’s lifetime there are sections of the population that will be excluded from using the system. For example, older people with a history of manual work may struggle to register worn prints into a system or people who have suffered the loss of fingers or hands would be excluded.

NEC New Zealand and Fingerprint Recognition

At NEC, we’re proud to be the proven market leader in fingerprint recognition technology; ranking first for accuracy and speed in two successive National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) benchmarking tests. We provide airports, border control and police services with the most advanced fingerprint recognition system available. And, with over 1,000 clients in 30 countries it is safe to say we have the breadth and depth of experience to lead, collaborate and innovate within a wide range of private sectors too. To find out more about how NEC can help your business, contact us today.